Mofongo's roots lead to the western African Fufu, mixed with Spanish and Taíno influences. Fufu is made from various starchy vegetables and was introduced to the Caribbean by Africans in the Spanish New World colonies such as Cuba (fufu de plátano), Dominican Republic (mangú), and Puerto Rico (mofongo) this also most likely includes Colombia (cayeye), Amazon area and Peru (tacacho). Fufu consists of starchy root vegetables and plantains boiled then mashed until a dough-like consistency with water, butter, or milk.
Mofongo (Spanish pronunciation: [moˈfoŋɡo]) is a Puerto Rican dish of African origin with fried plantains as its main ingredient. Plantains are picked green and fried then mashed with salt, garlic and oil in a wooden pilón, a kitchen device also known as mortar and pestle. The object is to produce a tight ball of mashed plantains that would absorb the attending condiments and have either pork cracklings (Chicharrón) or bits of bacon inside. Most dressings and mixtures include broth, garlic, and olive oil. It is traditionally served with fried meat and chicken broth soup. Particular flavors result from variations that include vegetables, chicken, shrimp, beef, or octopus packed inside or around the plantain orb. And then, there is the Mofongo relleno. According to Yvonne Ortiz, "Tino's Restaurant on the west coast of Puerto Rico" began the trend. Seafood, abundant in the region, found its way inside the plantain ball too, but with braised meat or more seafood poured over it. Nowadays, seafood lovers get the relleno stuffed also "with meat, or poultry."
